Why is the Multi-Vendor Marketplace Solution the Best Idea?

When we go shopping for everyday necessities, we usually prefer to choose one big store where we can easily find anything we want. In the case of eCommerce business, the role of such big multifunctional stores is taken by multi-vendor marketplaces.

Any online store like eBay or Amazon works as a platform where people have access to a wide variety of products. Such marketplaces can specialize in some product category or have a more universal purpose. These platforms have many customers because they allow finding a variety of items in one place, which significantly saves users’ time. Furthermore, these online stores always guarantee the excellent quality of items and offer delivery, which makes online shopping even more convenient.

Have you already considered creating a multi-vendor marketplace for your eCommerce business? The reason to do so is that a multi-vendor platform offers much more possibilities for you than a single-vendor one.

Online marketplaces serve as a mediator between buyers and sellers. Therefore, the owner of an eCommerce marketplace transforms from a supplier into a store manager. He or she moderates vendors’ activities and charges them a fee, which becomes the source of income for the business. Moreover, involving new vendors will result in increased traffic to the marketplace.

At the same time, vendors can also benefit from using the marketplace. There is no need for them to build and manage their own marketplace. Instead, they can use an existing multi-vendor store with an already established huge website traffic.

We have mentioned only a few reasons why many eCommerce entrepreneurs are considering investing in a multi-vendor store. It is a cost-effective, practical and feasible solution with benefits for vendors, buyers, and marketplace owners. Therefore, a multi-vendor platform has become a favorable deal for entrepreneurs due to its numerous advantages.

So, let”s take a closer look at the main benefits of a multi-vendor store.

The Benefits of a Multi-Vendor Marketplace

eCommerce is a dynamic industry which is changing rapidly. Marketplaces are developing too, offering new perks to attract more vendors. Now, using multi-vendor stores can be beneficial for all involved parties. That is why many eCommerce entrepreneurs prefer online marketplaces to old-fashioned single-vendor stores.

The main advantages of any marketplace are:

• A variety of available products – many vendors are selling their items on the marketplace, so the range of products available to buyers can be massive. That is a reason why an eCommerce marketplace can attract impressive website traffic which will result in a significant income for both vendors and the platform owner;
• Lower costs – as every seller is responsible for their own sales department, there is no need to employ extra people. Thus, the marketplace can be easily operated just by the administration team which will communicate with consumers and the development team responsible for the website maintenance;
• Automation possibilities – any online store should control a lot of specific tasks, such as logistics, inventories or prices. However, a multi-vendor platform allows you to distribute these tasks between vendors, so you don’t need to manage everything;
• Easy inventory management – the marketplace allows every seller to be responsible for own inventory, so you don”t need to hire additional people or rent warehouses. This will save you from extra expenses and complications related to inventory.

Modern marketplaces involve impressive technologies and investments to attract more customers. Due to their unique features, these platforms are getting even more popular among entrepreneurs. Therefore, we want to analyze in detail how a multi-vendor eCommerce store can be beneficial to every party involved.

For the Business Owners

The marketplace allows entrepreneurs to increase their income by charging vendors fees. There can be different fee models including taking payments for the place on the marketplace. Furthermore, the platform owner can collect commissions from the vendors” sales to make even more profit.

Another advantage is that the multi-vendor marketplace creates a transparent environment where anyone can check the cost and availability of items. Thus, it establishes a direct buying process and creates more possibilities for finding new business partners.  

Finally, the eCommerce marketplace has fewer time and location limitations because it is an online platform which runs around the clock and can be accessed from any geographical point.

For the Vendors

Firstly, multi-vendor marketplaces provide access to a wider audience of consumers. This creates a new sales channel and helps vendors increase their profit. Furthermore, being an online store, an eCommerce marketplace can help companies reach the international audience and sell their products overseas.

At the same time, they can become vital for small-scale vendors who are not ready to launch their own online store. Instead of considering their budget and other resources for building an eCommerce store, small businesses can join an existing successful multi-vendor marketplace.

Having joined a well-known eCommerce platform, vendors can benefit from a larger customer base and the competition on the well-known marketplace. Moreover, some platforms even offer shipping options for its vendors. Therefore, a multi-vendor marketplace can be an excellent solution for those sellers who can’t establish their own online store at the moment.

For the Consumers

eCommerce marketplaces are convenient for consumers because they allow finding a variety of products on a single platform. Furthermore, they can compare items from different manufacturers, check their quality and prices, and purchase the best option.

Buyers can find their favorite vendors on the marketplace and continue a trading partnership or search for a new one. What is more, multi-vendor stores provide real-time updates on its products, thus making it possible for customers to be aware of the current situation on the market.

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Requirements for a Standard Multi-Vendor Marketplace

Now that you know a lot more about the advantages of a multi-vendor marketplace, let”s find out what is required to build one for your business.

There are some features common for every standard eCommerce marketplace:

• Fast search tools – since there will be many vendors on your online store, it should have fast search functionality. The right search tools will help your customers to browse the platform and find what they need easily;
• Simple vendor involvement – make the procedure for vendor registration as simple as possible. They should be able to quickly enter your marketplace and start listing their products, create a profile page and manage their sales;
• Specialization – it is better to build the eCommerce store focusing on either digital or physical products. The combination of both types of goods can be less successful, so choose one according to your goals;
• Transparent fees – every platform sets own commission fees for vendors. They vary due to platform’s features, so check your competitors’ rates to understand the market situation. Furthermore, you should have some tools to manage payments and collect revenue;
• Feedback – make placing a review as simple as possible. Customers should be able to access any vendor they need while sellers should quickly gather their feedback.

Summary

So, the multi-vendor model of an eCommerce store attracts both buyers and sellers. For the vendor, multi-vendor marketplaces provide a platform to sell their goods, establish new business relationships and reach more consumers. On the other hand, consumers can benefit from browsing and comparing multiple options gathered on one website.

We hope that our article persuaded you to consider choosing the multi-vendor store model for your eCommerce business. In case you are aiming to start your path towards your own multi-vendor marketplace, let us make this journey stress-free for you. Reach out to Roobykon to discuss your project.